Sunset for the End of September

The end of September–I’ve spent 9 full months on this photography project now, without missing a single day. I’ve learned a lot, and I can do a lot more with my camera now than I could when I started.

I didn’t go outside today until sunset. All I needed was one photo, and if I didn’t get one outside, I figured I’d take an indoor picture. I saw the crescent moon and the soft colors in the western sky behind the pine tree, and I knew that was going to be my photo for today. I stayed outside and took photos at intervals as the colors deepened, and chose one to post. Settings were f/5.6, 1/25, ISO 800.

A Few for Thursday

We have tomatoes again, lots of ripe little cherry tomatoes, and I went out after work to pick some. Settings were f/8, 1/200, ISO 200.

The plants are still blooming so more tomatoes will be coming along. Settings were f/4.5, 1/400, ISO 200.

Lulu normally doesn’t follow me around, but when I’m picking tomatoes–which she loves–she is right by my side watching my every move. I had the camera in one hand while I picked tomatoes with the other, and you can see she’s not looking at the camera. Settings were f/3.5, 1/800, ISO 200.

Sophie, on the other hand, follows me everywhere I go outside, and she sits and poses for me, turning her head in different directions. Settings for this one were f/8, 1/320, ISO 200.

My favorite picture of Sophie today. I love the sideways glance she’s giving me. Settings were f/4.5, 1/1250, ISO 200.

Sophie and Christopher on Wednesday

Sophie and Christopher aren’t in a picture together, of course. Sophie is not very excited about being photographed with dolls, and she didn’t want to pose with Christopher today. So here is Sophie by herself. Settings were f/7.1, 1/250, ISO 800.

Christopher is my newest Masterpiece doll. He is all vinyl and 34 inches tall, the size of a 2-year-old, and he is jointed at the neck, shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. He’s a cute little guy and I really like him. He’s the smallest of my Masterpiece dolls–his big brother Ethan is 40 inches tall and the size of a 4-year-old, and big sister Faith is 46 inches tall and the size of a 6-year-old. I took Christopher outside today when I was picking tomatoes. Here he is examining the tomato plant. Settings were f/7.1, 1/320, ISO 200.

Christopher noticed the tomatoes on the plant. Settings were f/7.1, 1/400, ISO 200.

And the next time I looked, he had a handful of cherry tomatoes. Settings were f/9, 1/200, ISO 200.

Sunny Tuesday

No thunderstorms today–this afternoon was clear and sunny. There was nothing very exciting to photograph today. I had the 70-300mm lens on the camera, but naturally no Red-Shouldered Hawks were flying around. I did see a Mourning Dove in a tree at the back of the yard, up in a shady area that wasn’t easy to photograph. Settings were f/9, 1/250, ISO 500.

There were some beautiful white clouds in the bright blue sky and I took a couple of photos of them. Settings for this one were f/7.1, 1/1250, ISO 200.

Another cloud photo. The black speck to the right of the center is a dragonfly–we’ve had lots of dragonflies around recently. Settings were f/7.1, 1/800, ISO 200.

Some palm fronds in the sun against the blue sky. Settings were f/9, 1/250, ISO 200.

This is just a branch up in a tree, taken while I was working on focus and depth of field. Settings were f/9, 1/160, ISO 800.

Rainy Monday

A thunderstorm came through this afternoon at work, reaching my house later today, so it’s been a mostly gray and wet afternoon. Here is a Eurasian Collared Dove up in the big pine tree as gray clouds move in. Settings were f/7.1, 1/200, ISO 200.

I went outside with the 90mm f/2.8 lens on the camera because I felt sure I wasn’t likely to see birds or anything else at a distance. However, there was that dove, and then I saw a bird of prey flying and gliding in the sky. I couldn’t zoom in, so the bird is just a small dark silhouette in the picture. I like the bird with the towering gray cloud . Settings were f/7.1, 1/1000, ISO 200.

Coming back to add that this bird is a Red-Shouldered Hawk. A few silhouettes like this one, cropped close, and one dark blurry closer shot were enough for the WhatBird people to identify it.

A palm frond against the sky. Settings were f/7.1, 1/100, ISO 400.

And palm fronds blowing in the wind as the thunderstorm hit late this afternoon. Settings were f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 640.

Mockingbirds on Sunday

Today I saw several Mockingbirds at a reasonable distance for photos. This one was on a wire in front of the house. Settings were f/7.1, 1/800, ISO 200.

And this Mockingbird was perched on my neighbor’s light pole in her back yard. Settings were f/7.1, 1/500, ISO 200.

The third Mockingbird looked like a juvenile with those speckles on its chest. Settings were f/7.1, 1/400, ISO 320.

I also saw a European Starling up in the big pine tree–very odd-looking with its light-colored head and wings, but the speckled chest and body size and shape were all Starling. Maybe it’s molted and is growing in its new dark feathers. Settings were f/7.1, 1/400, ISO 500.

Pine needles are continuing to turn brown and will soon be falling from the trees. Settings were f/7.1, 1/500, ISO 200.

I tried another starburst photo today. Settings were f/20, 1/125, ISO 800.

My last photo for today is Sophie in the grass. Settings were f/7.1, 1/250, ISO 200.

Christopher, Ethan, and Faith

It was a mostly bright sunny day today, and I took all three Masterpiece kids outside for photos: Faith, my 46 inch 6-year-old; Ethan, my 40 inch 4-year-old; and the new addition, Christopher, a 34 inch 2-year-old. I’ve changed Christopher out of the clothes he came in except for his shoes, and he’s now wearing size 2T jeans and shirt. Here are the three of them together by the fence. Settings were f/13, 1/160, ISO 200.

A closer look at Ethan, Faith, and Christopher. Settings were f/8, 1/500, ISO 200.

Here’s big sister Faith with little brother Christopher. They were designed by the same doll artist, Monika Peter-Leicht. Settings were f/13, 1/100, ISO 250.

Faith, Ethan, and Christopher. Settings were f/8, 1/125, ISO 200.

And one more of the three kids together. Settings were f/14, 1/100, ISO 200.

I’m very happy with Christopher and he fits in just as I’d hoped as a younger brother for Faith and Ethan.  His wig is not as nice as the wigs of the other two, but it’s not bad either. He’s a chubby little fellow and his size 2T jeans fit him perfectly. His shirt sleeves are a bit long on him–he does seem to have short arms. But then he is a toddler, and he should have shorter arms and legs in proportion to his body than an older child. He has a sweet face and I love his expression and his blue eyes. Here are a few of Christopher by himself taken after supper tonight. Here he is sitting on the pool steps. Settings were f/9, 1/60, ISO 800.

Sitting on the grass. Settings were f/9, 1/50, ISO 800.

And playing with a ball. Settings were f/7.1, 1/100, ISO 800.

Christopher standing by a palm tree. Settings were f/5.6, 1/80, ISO 800.

A tomato blossom on one of the tomato plants, which are continuing to produce ripe little tomatoes. Settings were f/4.5, 1/1000, ISO 200.

And some lantana flowers. Settings were f/8, 1/640, ISO 200.